Did you know

that the average home in the United States is 27 years old?

According to

"Remodeling Your Home: An Insider's Guide," published by Home

Builder Press, nearly three previously owned homes change hands every

year for each new home built. If you live in an older home or are considering

buying one, remodeling can help you live in the home you've always wanted.

The most common

remodeling projects are:

Kitchens,

from countertop and cabinet replacements to new, efficient layouts;

Bathrooms,

where cramped, dark quarters can be updated with freestanding, open showers;

Multiple vanities,

wood-framed mirrors and updated lighting;

Bedrooms,

from master suites to nurseries that accommodate fireplaces, media equipment,

adequate storage and the need for privacy;

Recreation

areas that today encompass music rooms, home theaters, exercise rooms

and libraries instead of the finished basement of yore;

Home offices

that offer functional, efficient workspaces for homeowners who telecommute,

are self-employed or use a personal computer to manage household expenses;

Decorating

with vision; and

Closets and

storage spaces customized to house hobby supplies, sporting goods, dry

goods, electronic equipment, gardening equipment and more.

If you're dreaming

of a new space, home improvement magazines, television programs and Web

sites are likely the first resources you will turn for ideas. Special

interest media on gourmet cooking, entertaining and gardening may inspire

home improvement ideas as well, and the home or real estate section of

your local newspaper may offer examples and advice.

Check at libraries

and bookstores for interesting titles, visit your local home improvement

store and take in a home show, too.

Your friends,

families and neighbors who have had work done on their homes recently

may have insights, experience and references to share. If you're planning

on professional assistance to get the job done, ask remodeling professionals

or architects for access to their libraries of products ideas, designs

and materials. You can also tap magazine buying guides and advertisements

for inspiration.

You'll get

more than a new look from your remodeling project in all likelihood. Many

home remodeling jobs also offer benefits in: energy efficiency, replacing

single-glazed windows, drafty doors, inadequate heating systems, inefficient

lighting and poor insulation; traffic flow and floorplan, breaking through

the barriers created by the small, dark, separate compartments found in

older homes; security, featuring systems that integrate motion-detector

lights, landscaping, fencing, windows, doors, locks and alarms; safety,

including hard-wired smoke, carbon monoxide and fire detectors; adaptations

for the physically challenged, which can make room for an aging parent

or family member with special needs; accommodating a growing or shrinking

family; and specialized spaces for hobbies and activities like a workshop,

darkroom or garage.

As you begin

the planning process, move from the general to the specific, keeping to

the budget you've set for the project. Consider materials with an eye

towards utility, matching the function and durability of a countertop

or flooring surface to the level of use (or abuse!) you expect them to

withstand. Allow time for orders to be delivered, permits to be secured,

and the uncertainty of the weather.

Homes built

before 1978 often contain hazardous lead-based paint and asbestos-containing

materials, and the sawing, sanding, drilling and grinding associated with

remodeling can disturb harmful particles. Note any environmental or health

issues that arise and hire an expert to remediate or dispose of radon,

lead, asbestos and volatile organic compounds. Another threat may be posed

so consult your state department of environmental management about the

proper method of removal.

Underground

electrical wires and gas lines can also present serious safety issues,

so always call your local utility hotline before any digging begins.

When you are

ready to begin your remodeling work, be sure to take before and after

pictures, if not for the feeling of satisfaction you'll have looking at

what you've accomplished, then at least for your insurance files. And

if you decide to enlist the help of a professional, select a remodeler

the same way you select your project: with a thorough examination of your

needs and an eye towards excellence. Call the Home Builders Association

of Midwest Georgia for information on Remodeler's Council members in this

area or visit remodel.com for a wealth of online resources.

"Remodeling

Your Home: An Insider's Guide" is available from BuilderBooks.com,

the Web site of NAHB's publishing arm, Home Builder Press, or call 800/223-2665.

(John Hayes,

who is with Torrey Homes, is president of the Home Builders Association

of Midwest Georgia, which serves a membership of approximately 440 builders

and associate members in Fayette, Coweta, Spalding, Heard and Meriwether

counties.)